Jon's Blog

Viewing entries posted in
November 2013

We are only feeling our thoughts in the moment they happen. In today’s society we often feel that we are running at a hundred miles an hour, our minds buzz with noise, we become forgetful, we begin to get nervous about our job; we have to make a huge amount of decisions every day due to the instant capability that technology has put in our hands.

To define the needs at the heart of many organisations initially we need look at the individual beliefs of the leaders. Often the underlying feeling, although not usually known or if it is it’s not spoken is ‘self pity’, in other words the company’s performance is down to the misfortune of the economic climate for example, decision fatigue often leads to a ‘poor me’ attitude. This projected blame and lack of ownership results in unwritten beliefs such as, "it is hard for us", this subsequently manifests in a demoralised organisation, poor behaviour and a feeling of helplessness.

I hear on the grapevine that my colleague and friend Professor Mark Williams at Oxford University has been discussing mindfulness politics at number 10 Downing Street, not before time in my view! Mindfulness is rapidly becoming the new Zeitgeist, ironic really as it’s over 2000 years old! Is this a sign that even politicians know that the current ways of doing things are no longer working, are they seeking like so many of us for new ways of being? New wisdoms from old doctrines for 21st century leaders?

We are living, some are saying in the most precarious times in history; but most definitely we are in very unstable and uncertain times, I believe we are living in exciting and powerful times where the energy, both metaphorically and literally, in the world is changing. Change evokes various reactions from people, some who thrive and welcome it and others who shrink and fear it. As an Aquarian I have been told many times we are in the age of Aquarius and that on a deep level the spiritual consciousness of the world is changing, well, after more than half a century I can actually for the first time feel that this is true, I believe that on a global level we are each being challenged to look at ourselves, what we do and how we are being in a different way. I feel that we are going through our greatest challenge as human beings both on an individual and collective level. We are being challenged personally to let go of the old ways of doing things and looking for new ways of being in the world. As the world struggles and old ways of doing things continue to fail and crumble this is a perfect opportunity to really look at ourselves, our belief systems, and take the opportunity to create and build a new way of being and a new world.

Dawn Shaw tried not to fidget and to sit still in the soft leather sofa in the reception lounge of the Lygon Arms Hotel, but she was too nervous. She had never met a mentor before, and she was feeling frustrated and sorry for getting herself into the situation of having to meet one now. Her life was a mess. She hated her senior job, her husband was talking about divorce; she wanted children but her husband had kids from a previous relationship. She simply never felt settled. She had begun to drink more than usual and was beginning to get sneaky and hide it. She was brought up a catholic but had long abandoned that, church going had ceased long ago, although she thought herself spiritual, like her friend Jo. A few weeks ago Jo had pleaded with her to see a mentor, to get some support in all aspects of her life. Jo recommended The Mindfulness Mentor.

Our mind is always active and busy. We become easily distracted! We are all the same. The mind is always chattering away often being somewhere before you have even left where you are. We seek more money, more friends, more recognition and more happiness. We are always thinking about something or very likely considering what we must do or somewhere we want to get. Mindfulness is effectively pressing pause on the mind, stopping the thinking to acknowledge that the mind is constantly wandering; we can find it difficult to concentrate due to the mind chatter. All the time thoughts flood in from anywhere and everywhere. If we get bored it is often because we have not occupied our mind, we try to entertain it with all kinds of distractions like work and games, debate, our opinions, but mostly our thoughts. This in itself is human and natural. It is when we don’t control it that it can become an issue. The more that is on our mind the more we can feel overwhelmed and stressed.

Everyday millions of us turn to painkillers, either over the counter or via prescription from our doctor. We all have aches or pains from time to time and at some point we either take a painkiller or go to the doctor for advice. We turn to a specialist when we need help with our health, those that have had training or years of experience, or both. Our body has it’s our unique way of communicating with us and pain is essential as it lets us know that there may be a problem. Physical pain can then often be treated either by simple painkillers or more powerful treatments.

Mindfulness. That’s got to be a load of mumbo-jumbo, right? Well, I thought it was too until I spent eight days in silence at a monastery for a BBC TV series called The Big Silence in 2009. That’s when I went from a successful business workaholic to a man who’d found the answer to work stress and personal unhappiness.